Virat Kohli's Batting Position Doesn't Matter, He's India's Pivot: Sunil Gavaskar to NDTV

Virat Kohli, after a super Test series, flopped miserably in the tri-nation ODI series in Australia. After slamming four Test hundreds against a quality Aussie attack, the Indian deputy managed four successive single digit scores for the first time in ODIs. While several former cricketers have expressed concern, former skipper Sunil Gavaskar played down Kohli's poor form and called him the "pivot of India's batting." (Report | Scorecard)

Was Kohli's poor form due to his demotion to No. 4? Pundits have different explanation but Gavaskar sees nothing wrong with the strategy. "For all those who were saying why's Kohli batting at No. 4 and not No. 3, they must know Kohli  is the man around whom an innings will work. (Dhoni Feels Team Selection a Catch-22 Situation)

"They are trying to protect him against the moving, new ball. This is a tactical move which worked in India after that horrid tour of England. Kohli was dropped to No.4 and he scored plenty of runs

"If India lose an early wicket, Kohli will bat at four and if they get off to a flier like they did against England on Friday, he will move up the order to No. 3," Gavaskar told NDTV. "Kohli is such a class player that I would not be worried about four poor scores." (Escapist Attitude on Perth Pitch Hurt us: Gavaskar)

West Indian batting great Viv Richards had also said Kohli should bat at No. 4 if it suited India's needs because that position would allow him to dictate terms in the innings if India suffered early setbacks.

Gavaskar, who has been critical of India's poor performances so far Down Under, said there was nothing to be dejected about after the team remained winless in four ODIs a fortnight ahead of the World Cup. "It has been a disappointing performance and the boys must know there is a lot of hard work ahead of them. It has looked there has been a shortage of ideas in the middle."

India play their first match of the World Cup against Pakistan in Adelaide on February 15 and they are running against time to iron out the several chinks in the armor.